2023 Golden Ear: Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series 3 and Alpha DAC Series 3 Digital-to-Analog Converter

$28,000/$10,995

Magazines naturally focus on presenting to their readers what’s new, but it’s also important that we don’t overlook those previously reviewed products that spectacular over-perform at their price point. The Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series 3 is such a product. I’ve reviewed all three generations of the DAC and used it as my reference for many years.

If you are in the market for a top-shelf DAC, you must consider the Reference DAC 3. Compare it head-to-head with any DAC extant, and you’ll be surprised by how it holds its own or beats highly regarded competitors with six-figure price tags. The Reference 3 is extremely musical and engaging, with a tremendous ability to reach down and present the finest of musical details with precision and clarity. This also applies to spatial micro-cues, opening up a gloriously wide and deep soundstage with precise image placement. “Refined” is a good description of the Berkeley’s overall sound. Despite its high resolution, the Berkeley has an uncharacteristic ease and lack of glare in the treble—a thrilling combination. The downside: The Reference 3 is a high-performance machine stripped down to the bare performance essentials, meaning it has no DSD, no Roon capability, no networking, and no USB input (you’ll need Berkeley USB converter for that). But if you can forego the bells and whistles and want by far the best sound for the money, there’s no greater bargain in DACs today than the Reference 3. If the price of entry is too high, the company’s Alpha DAC 3 brings you much of the performance for less than half the price. (298, 320)